The Washington Post's Style Invitational once again
asked readers to take any word from the dictionary,
alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one
letter, and supply a new definition.
Here are this year's winners:
1. Bozone (n.) The substance surrounding stupid people
that stops bright ideas from penetrating. The bozone
layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking
down in the near future.
2. Cashtration (n.) The act of buying a house, which
renders the subject financially impotent for an
indefinite period.
3. Giraffiti (n) Vandalism spray-painted very, very
high.
4. Sarchasm (n) The gulf between the author of
sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.
5. Inoculatte (v) To take coffee intravenously when
you are running late.
6. Hipatitis (n) Terminal coolness.
7. Osteopornosis (n) A degenerate disease. (This one
got extra credit.)
8. Karmageddon (n) It's like, when everybody is
sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And
then, like, the Earth explodes and it's like, a
serious bummer.
9. Decafalon (n.) The grueling event of getting
through the day consuming only things that are good
for you.
10. Glibido (v) All talk and no action.
11. Dopeler effect (n) The tendency of stupid ideas to
seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.
12. Arachnoleptic fit (n.) The frantic dance performed
just after you've accidentally walked through a spider
web.
13. Beelzebug (n.) Satan in the form of a mosquito
that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning
and cannot be cast out.
14. Caterpallor (n.) The color you turn after finding
half a grub in the fruit you're eating.
And the pick of the literature:
15.Ignoranus (n): A person who's both stupid and an
asshole.
